What’s stopping our growth?

Change

What often stops your business growing, that change thing

Important? flavour of the month? oh no, not another fad! if we wait long enough “it” will go away . . . Why is it that most change strategies simply don’t work?

Oh no, not another change!

Most change programs are difficult, rarely work and cause a variety of problems for the people involved. These problems include, fear, suspicion, anger and often denial. These problems can be avoided or at least minimised.

How? Those that want change often do not understand the human impact, are in too great a hurry and often have unrealistic expectations.
To sustain growth, embrace change and maximise choices we must appreciate that people do business with people and to begin any change process – understand that we are dealing with the most complex species on the planet!!

The challenge is that we cannot change unless we understand where we are now.

What is everybody thinking, feeling and believing? What are the issues, challenges and opportunities that exist right now? We need to understand the current state or context.

Current state – Where we are – right here, right now. We develop our statement of the future vision and mission and then the strategies and tactics to get there. Often our staff imagine, feel and believe that the vision is quite different to what you may see – who has the problem? A paradox emerges which can be illustrated as follows:

People and organisations

Talking and not hearing, listening and not understanding

The team’s current reality (due to considerable and constant change) is based on their thoughts, feelings and beliefs as they have lost most or all of their traditional reference points. Often the major cause of resistance to change is lack of consultation and discussion. Resistance to change is often a symptom of concentrating on “content” and not “process”. This is a paradox as there are often regular opportunities to discuss “issues”.

Can you spot the symptoms?

Management may demonstrate an “open-door” policy and appear to have good listening skills. These actions and behaviours are content based – information passes from one person to another. The challenge – Is the organisation listening effectively and can you hear them? An organisation that emphasises content when compared with process often sees the following symptoms occur:

Behavioural symptoms

Increased sick leave (stress)

A higher resistance to change

Increased negativity

Introspection

A sense or feeling of exclusion

Protective and sometimes isolationist behaviour

Organisational symptoms

Customer service levels will remain static or decrease (We told you the changes would not work)

The good people leave first (They always do and the knowledge and experience goes too)

Staff turnover increases (A further drain on the “intellectual capital” of the organisation)

Individual responsibility and accountability will decline (Deference to a higher authority)

Any new changes introduced will be ridiculed, personalised and resisted (We have not even got the current system working and she wants us to change again)

Why do we resist change? – fear of the unknown

Increase the communication – reduce the fear – reduce the resistance to change

Group dynamics and resistance to change

The forming and strengthening of groups within the organisation during change is normal and natural. When the rate of change increases there are two groups that become dominant before and during the change process.

I wonder if you can “see” the opportunity?

The “observers” in the organisation will be waiting for errors to occur to justify their behaviour and be quick to point out to all and sundry that they were right after all. These behaviours and attitudes are self-perpetuating and if not addressed will continue to build. The other group or “tribe” is aptly called “we will wait them out”, who simply look busy and do nothing. This group is particularly dangerous as they play to rule and become role models for the rest of the organisation. The typical response is “why should I bother when no one else is?” And “If I work hard I am isolated from the main group.”

Most organisations when faced with change will suffer from some or all of these symptoms.

What could be done? – do nothing and nothing happens

A metaphor that often describes the current state of the organisation is based on the iceberg. What management does not “see” is the high percentage of the organisation “under the waterline”. We have found that the “energy” required to effect change when the “iceberg” is present is often too much for the organisation. This is often due to the misalignment and subsequent misunderstanding of what is happening inside the organisation; in particular the mixed messages and the discrepancies between what is required and what is achieved. We have seen organisations become weaker and weaker because their intention and gaze is on everything that is not human within their organisation.

The introduction of technology – faster, less waste and more time for the customer

Systems such as Just in Time, TQM and other Quality tools and methods

Measuring and monitoring – inputs, processes and outputs

Investment in plant and equipment – increasing sophistication and complexity

There seems to be an overriding philosophy that management can “fix” everything – even if it is not broken. Often the answers to the real and perceived problems are within the organisation itself. So what is the problem? Why are the answers such a big secret? Maybe management can’t hear the answers, maybe staff don’t understand what’s being said and what is required of them and why? The “iceberg” – Was it the tip of the “iceberg” that caused the Titanic to sink?

The challenge is therefore to move the organisation from “here” to “there” in alignment so that the vision can be realised. Recognition of the “iceberg” model will begin to minimise resistance to change.

Why traditional change methods do not work

The change is too great, the changes cannot be measured and often cannot be repeated. There are three views on innovation and change. There is often confusion between continuous improvement, “inventive” or massive change and innovative. The fundamentals for any change should include creativity, innovation and leadership. There is a choice – to move from here to there – three approaches to change.

Continuous improvement

(We keep looking back to improve the present – what about the future?)

Creative and innovative change strategy

The key to any change process is based on inclusion and thus management is seen as being proactive. Change management can be difficult, frustrating and often not effective because changes have been implemented by reactive and exclusive management behaviours. Consider the “step – change” approach. This is where changes are smaller, the goals are visible and those involved feel as though they can achieve the goals. The idea is to take a small step together, change, measure and then change again. This change philosophy can be duplicated so multiple changes can be occurring in small manageable “events”. Reinforce the change and use the “celebration” strategy. When a goal is achieved, group and individual acknowledgement, praise and sometimes reward is undertaken. Emphasise and encourage the entire group to celebrate. This strategy is based on the need for individual and group recognition. Also the notion that if we celebrate at work, the workplace becomes a more pleasant environment to be in.

Steps to understanding, designing and implementing effective change

Gather / finalise the data to establish the existing state

Look forward and conduct a gap analysis – what is the gap(s) that we have to cross to get from here to there?

We determine what is really stopping you getting from here to there. This could be a mixture of behaviours, mindsets, feelings and beliefs

Develop the plan from the data gathered

Create achievable milestones

Implement

Review and start again

Understand the resistance

The resulting information will then serve as signposts for strategy and tactical development. Identification of the organisation’s reality and most importantly the identification of the ideas and solutions that are already inside the organisation are our focus. We encourage you and your organisation to work smart not hard! Do so and conserve your energy to drive the change process. The organisation takes a step that is achievable, measures the change and then takes another step towards achieving its vision.

A powerful process

Step One: Ask – Develop a questioning strategy

Step Two: Listen – Capture quickly, process

Step Three: Share – Publish all the results

Step Four: Check – The facts and the myths become apparent

The next step is the most crucial – if nothing happens – nothing will!